Carl Edwards black-flipped his way to victory lane Saturday night at Richmond, but he wasn’t the only winner celebrating on a grand stage.

There was plenty of champagne to be shared by all 12 drivers who made the Chase for the Sprint Cup.

The winners and losers at Richmond:

Winners

Carl Edwards — Edwards won his first race in 23 starts — since the second race of the season. But it couldn’t have come at a better time. He carries momentum into the Chase and established himself as a legitimate championship contender. He even predicted he would win the title. Talk about confidence.

Kurt Busch — Busch accomplished what many thought he couldn’t do — carry single-car Furniture Row Racing into the Chase. And after yet another impressive finish (second), don’t count him out of the championship race.

Ryan Newman — Newman didn’t make the Chase, but he gave it everything he had. His run to chase down Edwards for the lead was impressive and only a questionable spin and untimely caution flag kept him from winning to make the Chase. Newman has raced hard all season. Richard Childress will be happy to add him to his stable.

Matt Kenseth — Kenseth finished an uninspiring sixth at Richmond, but did all his work in the previous 25 races. Thanks to his career-high five wins, he starts the Chase with the lead and as the driver to beat.

Martin Truex Jr. — Truex was eligible for a Chase wild card thanks to his win at Sonoma in June, but he earned his spot with two impressive performances at Atlanta and Richmond. And he did it with a broken wrist. There’s no question that he is tough enough to win a championship. But will he be fast enough?

Joey Logano — Logano struggled at Richmond and limped home 22nd. But he made the Chase thanks to his impressive streak prior to Richmond. His six straight top-10 finishes, which included a win at Michigan, were Chase worthy.

Greg Biffle — Biffle slipped and stumbled his way to a mediocre 12th-place finish, but it was enough to hang onto a top-10 spot and make the Chase. Biffle has struggled since his win at Michigan in June, but he’s in and has new life. And at this point of the season, that’s all that matter.

Losers

Clint Bowyer — Bowyer was leading and had a shot to win the race until an untimely caution dropped him in the field. Then he stirred up controversy by spinning out late in the race — a wreck that cost Newman the race and helped Truex, Bowyer’s teammate, make the Chase. Not Bowyer enters the Chase lamenting his winless regular season and answering questions about his suspicious spin. That’s not good karma entering a championship race.

Jeff Gordon — Gordon did all he could but things just didn’t fall his way at Richmond. But the four-time champion shouldn’t have been making a last-gasp effort to make the Chase. He hasn’t been good enough all season. That’s why he’ll miss the Chase for just the second time in his career.

Brad Keselowski — Keselowski knows how Gordon feels. The defending champ has struggled all season and will miss the Chase, too. He becomes the latest in a long line of title contenders to stumble a year after a championship-contending run.

Kyle Busch — Busch was expected to be a contender at Richmond — he had won there four times — but struggled most of the night and was caught sniping at his crew chief on his in-car radio. Not a good way to start the Chase.

Jimmie Johnson — The five-time champ usually is at his best entering the Chase. But after leading the standings all season, he’s suddenly at his worst. Four straight finishes of 28th or worse has sapped all his momentum and leaves him limping into the Chase. Now he must right the ship and prepare himself mentally with a new baby at home.